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We live in a zone 4/5 small town in Central Idaho. We always have multiple yard projects going and this will serve as our garden journal. We also add various animals to our developing small farm yearly and plan to update their antics as needed.

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Monday, May 11, 2009

Here is a little before and after for you~ I love before and afters. This is the island bed on April 29 of this year. I was wanting to edge it and top dress it with pretty bark mulch. Last year when I built this bed, the store where I buy my special bark mulch was out. So I was forced to use some of what I like and a whole bunch of really junky stuff from the big box store. This year I started stocking up on my favorite kind and tonight I used most of it. Time to reload!

I edged this whole bed and removed the sod layer to use as filler in another project I have going. It should compost down in that area and I did not want it here. Then I backfilled the area between the lawn and the rocks. I toted tons of this mulch from my garden shed to this bed and started top dressing the inside of the bed around all the plantings. Now it looks so pretty and clean. My edges are somewhat wobbly but they should straiten out soon, some parts the lawn were not as grown in from last years tilling of this area so I seeded those spots and it ought to look great soon.

I was thinking of planting some kind of specimen tree in this bed, maybe more than one. I really like dogwood trees but was not sure it would stay alive here. I need to do some research. I also love the American Redbud and with proper pruning it should not overpower this area. Another thing I thought would look nice would be a topiary style dwarf spruce. I do not have a formal garden but those trees are so fun and they don't grow too big for the space. One of my other project plans is to begin perimeter planting but that will require a massive bed outlining this entire yard. I need to finish all the other things we have in progress before I start that one. It will likely have to be one of the only things I have going when that one starts. I am so thankful to all the great folks who commented on how to do this. Even with all the gardening I have done, that is one thing I never knew how to do. Edging is a lot of work but the result is so worth it.

I would got for the Redbud myself. Dogwoods are hard enough to keep alive in their native zone. They also enjoy a bit of shade from the hot summer sun, though in your zone, that might not be an issue as it is here.

Wow, your bed looks incredible, Heather, and so does your lawn. Talk about lush! Now onward and upward! I have both redbuds and dogwoods and love both. Beautiful choices! And I'm nothing but envious of Wiseacre and his composted horse manure. Sigh...

Hi Heather~~ Your visiting miracle girls are adorable. They must have the "worker" gene. I know what you mean about 13 year olds balking at the camera. Boy do I know! I love the teen years but sometimes I wish for those sweet, innocent times when everything was a cause for celebration. Or so it seemed. Perhaps my memory is a little biased with the rose colored glasses I'm wearing. :) Your new planting area looks terrific. How about a Raywood Ash? I don't know if they're hardy in your zone but they are outstanding smaller trees. Have a great week.

It looks so neat and clean. I love seeing the beds look like this, soon it'll be full of plants. I love dogwoods, but I agree it might get too hot there unless it gets shade from taller trees, mine really droops once it's summer now that the big pine that used to shade it is gone. Worth all the work for sure!

Heather, that bed looks wonderful! Great job on the edging and rocks...now the fun part..planting! How about a red maple for a tree..won't get too big and will be colorful all summer (but no spring blooms) as I picture a tree that will branch out and shade but not get too massive for that bed.

Fantastic job Heather...lots of hard work and it was definitely worth your time and efforts. It is a garden that will keep growing and giving back! It can even be expanded if you want to...down the road; you have so much land around it that adding an extra foot here and there will always be a possibility! Can't wait to watch it fill up, and see what tree you decide on!

We did a lot of edging last weekend too -- which is one reason why we needed the hot tub. I got a step edger similiar to the one you have and it made a big difference. I love it! You island bed is coming along great! -Jackie

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About This Blog

We started this blog in Feb. of 2009 to help us stay motivated and to track our progess in the garden. We live on 5 acres surrounded by Idaho farmland. We have wildlife galore and are attempting to attract more in the bird catagory. This is our journal. Welcome!